CEO – MMO Fallout

Netmarble To Appoint Seungwon Lee As New Co-CEO

Netmarble today officially announced the nomination of Seungwon Lee, currently Chief Global Officer, as new co-CEO of the company. His official appointment is scheduled for next month, February 2020. Lee will share his position with Young-sig Kwon with Kwon taking care of game business while Lee focuses on overall management and global operations.

Lee, a graduate of Seoul National University and a Master of Business Administration at INSEAD, previously served as Head of Korea Marketing for Yahoo from 2005 to 2006. Since 2007, he served as Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Netmarble Games (formerly CJ Internet) and as Senior Vice President of Global Strategy at Netmarble Games (formerly CJ ENM Game Division). As Chief Global Officer, Lee has been leading Netmarble’s overall global business since 2014, contributing to Netmarble’s successful expansion to global market.

Source: Press Release

Electronic Arts Lays Off 350

Electronic Arts today announced that 350 positions will be cut from the company as part of a reorganizational effort to “meet the needs of our players.” In addition, the publisher plans on ramping down its operations in Russia and Japan. The entirety of the announcement by CEO Andrew Wilson has been posted below.

Today we took some important steps as a company to address our challenges and prepare for the opportunities ahead. As we look across a changing world around us, it’s clear that we must change with it. We’re making deliberate moves to better deliver on our commitments, refine our organization and meet the needs of our players. As part of this, we have made changes to our marketing and publishing organization, our operations teams, and we are ramping down our current presence in Japan and Russia as we focus on different ways to serve our players in those markets. In addition to organizational changes, we are deeply focused on increasing quality in our games and services. Great games will continue to be at the core of everything we do, and we are thinking differently about how to amaze and inspire our players.

This is a difficult day. The changes we’re making today will impact about 350 roles in our 9,000-person company. These are important but very hard decisions, and we do not take them lightly. We are friends and colleagues at EA, we appreciate and value everyone’s contributions, and we are doing everything we can to ensure we are looking after our people to help them through this period to find their next opportunity. This is our top priority.

Source: EA

John Smedley Steps Down As CEO

Daybreak Game Company has confirmed that John Smedley will be stepping down as president and chief executive officer, following a lengthy period of harassment from the cyber group Lizard Squad. A spokesperson from Daybreak confirmed to Venturebeat that Smedley will be relinquishing his role, although he will not be leaving the company entirely.

“I can confirm that John Smedley will be taking some time off from the company for the near-term and transitioning to a different role to be determined. Upon finalization of his plans, further communication will be provided.”

John Smedley made headlines earlier this month after one Lizard Squad member was convicted of over fifty thousand counts of cyber crime, only to see no jail time. After Smedley called out multiple members on Twitter, the group launched a multiple day DDOS attack on Daybreak’s servers as well as offering a $5000 reward for anyone who defaced the grave of Smedley’s father.

The office of CEO will be filled by current COO Russel Shanks.

(Source: Venturebeat)

[Less Massive] Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Has Passed Away

Nintendo of Japan has announced with heavy heart that President Satoru Iwata has passed away today at the age of 55. Iwata has been with Nintendo since the early days of the Famicom, moving up to the position of director in 2000 and president in 2002, before becoming CEO in 2013. Unfortunately Iwata fell ill with a bile duct growth, forcing him to miss last year’s E3.

The announcement posted by Nintendo of Japan:

Nintendo Co., Ltd. deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile duct growth.

Satoru Iwata will be missed. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and coworkers.

(Source: Nintendo.jp)

Jagex Appoints New CEO

Jagex Games Studios has announced the appointment of Rod Cousens to the position of CEO. Cousens, taking over for Mark Gerhard who departed Jagex at the end of 2014, had previously worked as CEO of Codemasters, as well as various positions in Acclaim Entertainment, and Activision.

Cousens will bring his 25 years of industry expertise to Jagex “as it enters a new chapter of business,” overseeing work on the card game Chronicle: RuneScape Legends, tactical online shooter Block N Load, as well as other unnamed Jagex products in development.

(Source: Jagex Press Release)

Take-Two CEO: If You Don’t Like It, Don’t Buy It

Take-Two CEO and Chairman Karl Slatoff has something to say to the people who want Grand Theft Auto V removed from store shelves: If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Speaking at the BMO Capital Markets 2014 Technology & Digital Media Conference, Slatoff responded to the news that Target and Kmart have pulled the shooter from stores in Australia, stating that while the decision has not impacted consumer habits, the company is “deeply disappointed.”

“We have 34 million people who bought Grand Theft Auto, and if these folks had their way, none of those people would be able to buy Grand Theft Auto. And that really just flies in the face of everything that free society is based on. It’s the freedom of expression, and to try to squelch that is a dangerous and slippery slope to go down.”

Target and Kmart of Australia pulled the game after an online petition of over 40,000 signatures called for its removal over heavily criticised claims that the game incentivizes players to commit sexual violence against women. Target has come under fire by critics for perceived hypocrisy, as the company has stated that it will continue selling media including Game of Thrones and Fifty Shades of Grey, both of which contain explicit sexual violence.

(Source: Gamesindustry.biz)

Take-Two CEO: If You Don't Like It, Don't Buy It

“We have 34 million people who bought Grand Theft Auto, and if these folks had their way, none of those people would be able to buy Grand Theft Auto. And that really just flies in the face of everything that free society is based on. It’s the freedom of expression, and to try to squelch that is a dangerous and slippery slope to go down.”

(Source: Gamesindustry.biz)

Elite: Dangerous Refunding More Orders

Elite: Dangerous backers angered at the recent announcement that offline mode is being cut may be able to get a refund after all. Initially Frontier Developments announced that they would offer a refund providing the customer had not played the game at all. Now, judging by a post by David Braben, the scope may be opening up.

We initially declined some people’s request for refund as our records showed they have already played Elite: Dangerous online. After listening to many of the comments I received after my AMA here, we have since re-opened these requests and informed those people that we will be contacting them so that we can fully understand their individual situation before making a more informed decision.

(Source: Elite: Dangerous)

Mark Gerhard Departs Jagex

Mark Gerhard has announced that he is leaving his position as CEO of Jagex this December.

One of my proudest achievements at Jagex has been our efforts of tackling Botting and Gold Farming. When I first joined this was a huge problem for the business which I understand had plagued the game and community for many years. Today the game is virtually bot free and with the introduction of Bonds, gold farming too has become almost inexistent.

Gerhard will be replaced by RuneScape’s Vice President, Mod Pips. Read the entire farewell letter below.

(Source: RuneScape)

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